This invention relates to bearing arrangements and to methods for producing bearing arrangements.
In bearing arrangements consisting of two parts secured together, it is known to provide geometrical bearing attachments for the two bearing parts when used for a crankshaft, a camshaft and for connecting-rod bearings. For example, fitting pins or bolts are disclosed in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 of British Patent No. 2,288,436, fitting surfaces of various contours extending in the axial direction of the bearing are disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 0 068 424; U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,348, German Patent No. 29 38 482; and in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 of British Patent No. 2,288,436, and individual fracture contours are disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 0 696 688.
European Patent Publication No. 0 696 688 also discloses the manufacture of connecting rods from sintered material in which centering fitting surfaces are provided on both individually fabricated parts, or else, after fabrication in one piece, individual fracture contours are produced by controlled fracture of the bearing.
In general, it is known that bipartite bearings may be made of different materials, for example in crankshaft bearings in internal combustion engines. In this case, as disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 34 26 208, a cylinder block made of a light-metal carries one of the half-bearings while the corresponding bearing shells are made of gray cast iron.
These half-bearings made of different materials are positively connected by screws located on either side of the bearing centerline.
A bearing arrangement of this kind having a geometrical attachment for a centering arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,216. In this arrangement connection elements are located on either side of the bearing centerline for fixed attachment of two bearing segments and one of the bearing segments has circular sectors cooperating with conical surfaces to engage matching surfaces of the other bearing segment under elastic compression.